3 mins Paul Dummett's throw-in on the left was collected by Aleksandar Mitrovic, who had time to turn and move towards goal before laying a ball off to Ayoze Perez - who promptly pinged it back to him in the box.

The Serbian was seemingly intent on emulating his solo effort against Preston in the EFL Cup, leaving Sean Morrison and Joe Bennett on their backsides as he jinked forward, before unselfishly laying the ball off to Christian Atsu rather than shooting.

The Ghanaian promptly slotted home from eight yards via the upright. 1-0

45 mins Another Dummett throw-in down the left found Yoan Gouffran heading infield. He pinged a pass out to DeAndre Yedlin in acres of space on the opposite flank and as Christian Atsu overlapped, the Newcastle full back knocked a smart pass into the path of Gouffran.

He gained a yard on Junior Hoilett in the box and gave himself a routine low finish across the keeper at the Leazes End. 2-0

Half time: Toon 2 City 0

77 mins Aron Gunnarsson's energetic throw into the United box was headed back through a cluster of bodies by Ciaran Clark, dropping to Marouane Chamakh inside the box. The former Arsenal man controlled the ball by letting it run down his arm onto his body before knocking it sideways as a number of home players began to claim the handball.

Undeterred, Peter Whittingham's drive from a central point on the edge of the box was low and true, nestling in the corner of Karl Darlow's goal. 2-1

Full time: Toon 2 City 1

After the game Rafa said:

"It was a Championship game. We started well, had chances and scored two, and started the second half well ... but we didn't do it.

"Then they started with the long balls, throw-ins and free kicks. The ref allows too much contact. They were complaining and we were not happy with decisions.

"We have to work hard even if we concede a goal that is not correct. I was not happy that we had to defend so much. But if a ref allows this situation you have to defend.

"I would rather play passing football, getting goals. In football if you play well you will have chances to win games. Sometimes you can't because the opposition is aggressive and the ref allows this contact.

"If you can it means you are strong as well. Sometimes you play passing football, sometimes you have to be strong and defend and stand up.

"The second half sticks in the memory more, but in the first half, we played well and we had the control and the chances. We started the second half the same way and had one or two chances where we could finish the game.

"The game could have been finished before their goal, but we didn’t play at the level we wanted to play in the second half. Sometimes you have to give credit to the other team. They were a physical team, with long throw-ins and free-kicks. 

"They had big lads and you have to defend well and show character. 

"Could it be better? Yes. But when you’re winning and show the mentality that you need in the Championship, that’s good.

"In the Premier League now, you have more passing football and players with more quality on the ball. Games in the Championship sometimes are just long throw-ins and free-kicks, because you now you can challenge and the ball will be there and it’s 50-50. 

“When you have towering centre-backs you have to have players strong enough and as big as them and still sometimes you can’t win those challenges. 

"The coach has to adapt like the players do. I’ve had it for a while, playing against Bolton and Blackburn, all these, although I never played against Wimbledon. It’s a challenge we face more often, for sure. 

“We don’t win games against Preston or Bristol City without competing. We know we have to defend well. 

"Everyone knows when you’re 2-0 up you need to score that third goal to kill a team off. We tried. We did really well, but just couldn’t do it. In the end, you have to ensure we have the quality and mentality to defend and get the three points. 

"It’s better that you can learn your lessons in a winning situation. It’s always easier to learn when you’re winning.”

They Said

The eyebrow-less Neil Warnock whinged and wailed in trademark fashion:

"He gets kicked in the face. I am so gutted at the penalty. Mitrovic mauls him down. At this level the officials should be educated better and know about the pull.

"To add salt the linesman gives the free-kick to them. They will go home and see it with their coaches next week and say 'oh yeah, I made a mistake'.

"It's an absolutely nailed-on penalty and I'm so disappointed. The linesman is 20 yards away, the referee is quite close and we're all waiting for him to point to the spot and the linesman gives a free-kick the other way.

There were a few contentious decisions that didn't go for us but all credit to the players, I thought they were super. When you see the effort that my team put in and to be let down by people who should know better.

"I thought we looked a good decent side in the second half. They (Newcastle) started to panic and we had some good chances. You could tell the relief when the whistle goes because they knew only one team was going to score in the second half. We deserved better.

"We have not got enough goals in the squad at the moment. We have to work on that. There were some pluses though. The lads at the back especially. At half time they might have got five or six. The second goal killed us."

Newcastle's winning run continued with two first half goals seeing off Neil Warnock's Bluebirds at another full house at St. James' Park on Saturday.

Christian Atsu and Yoan Gouffran struck the vital blows and although Peter Whittingham replied late on, Rafa's side held out for three more points to move eight clear of third placed Huddersfield.

An eighth straight victory in league and cup represents our best run of form in over a decade and no less than eight different players have netted in the last six games; refuting claims we're a one man team reliant on the goalscoring prowess of Dwight Gayle.

Returning from a hamstring problem, Dwight had to be content with a bench spot while the suspended Matt Ritchie was replaced by Christian Atsu - the only other change from the starting line-up at Deepdale seeing Ayoze Perez preferred to Momo Diame.

The game got off to another lightning start with Atsu's strike coming inside three minutes and Gouffran's effort just before half-time book-ending what had been a relatively quiet but very one-sided first period.

Just 135 seconds had passed when Aleksandar Mitrovic and Perez combined for Atsu to register his first goal at Gallowgate. Further chances followed, Paul Dummett breaking into the area and testing Ben Amos at his near post and Gouffran fizzing a grass-cutter wide after a corner.

Inevitably abused by the small away contingent for his previous Swansea affiliation, Jonjo Shelvey saw one shot blocked by Sol Bamba in the six yard box and a sequence of corner kicks defended by the visitors. A second goal seemed almost inevitable and it duly arrived in the closing seconds of the half when DeAndre Yedlin played in Yoan Gouffran to round off a well-worked move.

Had either Atsu or Mitrovic then taken the gilt-edged opportunities presented to them early in the second half, a repeat of the 5-1 beating of the Bluebirds here in our last Championship season may well have unfolded.

However Cardiff gradually came back into the contest as the second half wore on, creating a trio of chances without troubling Karl Darlow as the bulky form of Ricky Lambert began to exert some influence and United surrendered possession in crucial areas - Atsu too casual in the centre circle and Shelvey inviting pressure by taking the ball off his keeper.

Substitute Whittingham had appeared for the visitors at Gallowgate back in 2010 and within three minutes of his return had netted - although his low effort followed an obvious handball in the build-up, with further attempts led by Dummett to claim offside against another City player. 

Although the final 15 minutes or so were uncomfortable (including a thankfully shorter than expected four minutes of additional time), City failed to cause the level of mayhem in our own box that Preston had a week earlier - a late penalty claim contested more by Warnock than his players. 

A slightly subdued and obviously relieved SJP celebrated at full-time, Jamaal Lascelles seemingly urging Gallowgate Enders to be more animated - perhaps a reflection on the work done in keeping the visitors at arm's length in the final half hour and the pride the captain took from that.

There's certainly no lack of appreciation though from fans for the job that is currently being done in our name, pleasure at being top of the table matched by pride in the manner it's being achieved.

Biffa